DALLAS | Fountain Place | 720 FT / 219 M | 62 FLOORS | 1986
Arguably one of the most distinctive towers built in the US in the 1980's and a particular favorite on the Dallas skyline, Fountain Place is a pure exercise in the skyscraper as a geometric sculpture. A slick, clean reflective curtain wall wraps a rectangular prism that is sliced and diced into a pointed parallelogram.
Henry Cobb of PeiCobbFreed esstentially took the geometric exploration he undertook in Boston with John Hancock and brought it to an entirely different level. The resultant shape is absolutely unforgettable and the sheer curtain of glass exudes the building's geometrical purity.
The cutting out of the base (following the form above) and sitting the tower on water results in a highly shaded wonderful pedestrian experience (a novelty in downtown Dallas).
The original proposal was for two of these towers (like so many 80's energy belt proposals) set 90 degrees from one another. I'm SO glad the 2nd tower didn't get built. It would have altered the uniqueness of this tower significantly.
image courtesy of Austin55
The building was originally called the Allied Bank Tower (later on First Interstate Bank and now Wells Fargo).
I had a little photographic sex with this building in March, but I know that there are a number of exceptional photographers in Dallas. Please! Share more photos of this building!
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Awesome! I love that base, with all the water. It really is too bad that the twin tower didn't get built, that would have absolutely rocked.
I think Fountain Place is probably my favourite skyscraper in Texas.
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"Build me to the heavens, and Life never stops"
"Live as if the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be"
-Angel
"Prayers are fleeting and wars are forgotten, but what is built endures"
-Ambassador DeLenn, Babylon 5
Very nice for the period in which it was constructed.
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The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
^Very nice! I've always been a fan of this building.
__________________
"Build me to the heavens, and Life never stops"
"Live as if the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be"
-Angel
"Prayers are fleeting and wars are forgotten, but what is built endures"
-Ambassador DeLenn, Babylon 5